PARK CITY, Utah — After four decades as the only home the Sundance Film Festival has ever known, the entertainment event synonymous with mountain life and Hollywood culture is packing up and leaving Utah.
Festival organizers officially announced Thursday that they have selected Boulder, Colorado as its new home beginning in 2027, ditching Park City after what will be 42 years.
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'It's a mistake;' Utah leaders fume over Sundance decision to leave
In its release, Sundance claimed Boulder "offers small-town charm with an engaged community, distinctive natural beauty, and a vibrant arts scene, making it the ideal location for the Festival to grow."
Park City will host the festival one final time in 2026 before packing up for good.
The decision came after a long process in which event leaders claimed Sundance had outgrown the northern Utah mountain town, narrowing the three finalists for future host to Salt Lake City, Cincinnati and Boulder.
“This decision was informed by a detailed evaluation of the key components essential to creating our Festival," said Sundance Institute board chair Ebs Burnough. "During the process, it became clear that Boulder is the ideal location in which to build our Festival's future, marking a key strategic step in its natural evolution."
Timeline shows deep history between Sundance and Utah:
Sundance Institute said it would still have a presence in Utah despite the festival leaving the state.
Actor and director Robert Redford, who founded Sundance, shared his thoughts on the festival leaving its longtime home.
"Words cannot express the sincere gratitude I have for Park City, the state of Utah, and all those in the Utah community that have helped to build the organization," he wrote. "What we've created is remarkably special and defining. As change is inevitable, we must always evolve and grow, which has been at the core of our survival. This move will ensure that the Festival continues its work of risk taking, supporting innovative storytellers, fostering independence, and entertaining and enlightening audiences."
What does Utah bill banning Pride flags have to do with Sundance's future?
Although event organizers claimed politics and money played no part in the decision to pack up and move, others believed that it all played a role.
While Colorado lawmakers seemed to have bent over backwards to bring Sundance to the state, offering up millions in tax incentives as enticement, many believed the Utah legislature put up roadblocks to having the event return. A bill passed during the most recent legislative session bans pride flags from schools and public buildings, a move that many believed to be non-inclusive.
According to a Deadline article, an unidentified festival "insider" said House Bill 77 "goes to the heart of the community Sundance has worked years and years to develop.”
Sundance Institute Archives: A Glimpse into 40 Years of Independent Film Legacy:
Despite headwinds blowing against Sundance remaining in the state, Gov. Spencer Cox had been determined to keep the event in Utah.
"Sundance is Utah, and Utah is Sundance. You can't really separate those two," Cox said in January.
Although the attention the festival brought to Park City was unmatched, many retailers had begun to complain about business actually going down when the event rolled into town each winter. Others understood its importance despite the inconvenience of crowds and massive traffic.
“As somebody who makes their livelihood off commission, that is big," said art consultant Anna Sterling. "It is a huge time of year for us. But I see it more as just the importance of diversifying, bringing in new ideas and making people think in new and critical ways.”